Influência de fatores individuais e sociais sobre as respostas endócrina e comportamental de callithrix jacchus a desafios ambientais físicos e sociais

Regarding the growing number of human beings with physical and mental pathologies associated to different stressor agents, attempts are being made to validate animal models with a close phylogenetic resemblance to man, to study stress response. Callithrix jacchus has been widely used in biomedical research, including on stress, but there is scarce information in the literature about how individual and social factors modulate stressor response in this species. This study uses 4 approaches to investigate the response of male and female adult C. jacchus, under situations of stress, and in the first we show evidence of the importance of this animal as an experimental model in research involving the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. And we investigate if sex and baseline cortisol levels modulate the behavioral and hormonal response to separation. In two additional approaches investigate if type of social support (co-specific parent or non-parent) and social rank interfere in behavioral and hormonal when the animal are exposure to a new environment, paired with a co-specific (F2), exposure of the animal to a new environment, isolated (F3) or during reunion (F4). Finally, we also investigated the androgen levels in the males, with a focus on the challenge hypothesis, referring to environmental responsiveness and male-male exposure to relatives and non-relatives of C. jacchus. It was observed that: (1) the baseline cortisol of the animal is predictive of cortisol reactivity at separation; (2) males and females do not show dimorphism in the response of cortisol to stressors, although the females have higher baseline levels of this hormone and exhibit higher frequencies of anxiety-related behaviors; (3) only social support provided by relatives proved to be effective in buffering the cortisol response. In behavioral terms this response was dimorphic, showing that only the male dyads displayed an attenuated response to stress; (4) the males showed differences in cortisol levels as a function of social rank and study phases, whereas in the females no such alterations were observed. The males with indefinite dominance hierarchy (IDH) had reduced cortisol in F2 and F4, while the IDH females showed an increase in F3 and F4; (5) the males of relative and non-relative dyads did not exhibit variations in androgen levels as a function of a new environment. These results, taken together, (a) corroborate the use of C. jacchus as a good animal model for stress-related studies, given that they exhibit similar behavioral and physiological alterations to those of human beings in response to stressor agents; (b) point to the importance of considering individual and social modulating factors during experiments with stressors; (c) provide more reliable comparison parameters in studies where these primates are used as animal models, and (d) show that androgens vary as a function of genetic proximity (relative or non-relative) when the animals are faced with physical and social environmental challenges, thus providing important information for studying the challenge hypothesis in this species

CaPrx, a Coffea arabica gene encoding a putative class III peroxidase induced by root-knot nematode infection

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Well productivity controlling factors in crystalline terrains of southeastern Brazil

Over the last decades, increasing water demands have fostered research to obtain high well yields in crystalline terrains where, besides the intrinsic properties of rocks, the groundwater flow depends on several factors. The depth of the wells, the lithotypes, the presence and thickness of sedimentary coverings and weathered layers, the landforms, the geological structures, and the effects of tectonic stresses are among the most investigated factors considered as determinant of well productivity. The influence of these factors on productivity of wells that exploit the Crystalline Aquifer System in the Jundiai-River Catchment, southeastern Brazil, is investigated in this work. The largest region of the studied area is located on the Precambrian Basement, partially covered by sedimentary deposits. The results show that the sedimentary deposits and the weathered layer are important for high well yield, but it also depends on the existence of a net of open fractures, in order to maintain high productivity. The sites that have more possibility of occurrence of such structures are the regional shear and fault zones and other minor structures with NW-SE and E-W directions, which characterize areas subjected to transtensional stress related to the neotectonics.

Effect of dietary supplementation with vitamin E and stocking density on macrophage recruitment and giant cell formation in the teleost fish, Piaractus mesopotamicus

The effect of dietary supplementation with 0, 100 and 450 mg of vitamin E (DL-α tocopheryl acetate)/kg of a dry diet on the kinetics of macrophage recruitment and giant cell formation in the pacu, maintained at different stocking densities (5 kg/m3 and 20 kg/m3), was investigated by insertion of round glass coverslips into the subcutaneous connective tissue. After a feeding period of 18 weeks, the coverslips were implanted and later removed for examination at 2, 7 and 15 days post-implantation. Fish fed diets supplemented with 450 mg of vitamin E showed an increase (P<0.05) in the accumulation of macrophages, foreign body giant cells and Langhans type cells. The kinetics of macrophage recruitment and giant cell formation on the glass coverslips appeared to be strongly influenced by vitamin E supplementation, since fish fed a basal diet and held at high stocking densities showed low numbers of adhering cells on the coverslips, and high concentrations of plasma corticosteroids. On the other hand, fish given a diet supplemented with 450 mg of vitamin E did not show a similar difference in plasma cortisol concentrations related to stocking density. The effect of cortisol concentrations on carbohydrate metabolism, analysed by assessment of plasma glycaemia, was not clear. Blood glucose concentrations did not vary substantially with the different treatments examined. These results suggest that vitamin E may contribute to the efficiency of the fish's inflammatory response by increasing macrophage recruitment and giant cell formation in the foreign body granulomatous reaction. Vitamin E appeared to act on the stress response of pacus by preventing a stress-related immunosuppression. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Práticas educativas parentais e repertório comportamental infantil: Comparando crianças diferenciadas pelo comportamento

Identifying parental practices contingent to the behavior of children is important to support interventions. This study compares parental disciplinary practices with the behavior of children in a clinical group with behavioral problems (n = 27) and of a group of children without behavioral problems (n = 26). The criterion to assign children in the clinical and non-clinical groups was obtained from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Information concerning parents-children interaction was obtained through the application of the Parental Educative Social Skills Interview Script (RE-HSE-P), which evaluates positive and negative educational practices, context, behavioral problems and children's social skills. Qualitative and quantitative analyses (Mann Whitney's test) were used in the groups' comparison. The results indicate that behaviors that differentiate between the clinical and non-clinical groups are mainly those related to positive educational practices and children's social skills.

Antioxidant and cytotoxic studies for kaempferol, quercetin and isoquercitrin

The aim of the present study was to investigate a cytotoxic oxidative cell stress related and the antioxidant profile of kaempferol, quercetin, and isoquercitrin. The flavonol compounds were able to act as scavengers of superoxide anion (but not hydrogen peroxide), hypochlorous acid, chloramine and nitric oxide. Although flavonoids are widely described as antioxidants and this activity is generally related to beneficial effects on human health, here we show important cytotoxic actions of three well known flavonoids. They were able to promote hemolysis which one was exacerbated on the presence of hypochlorous acid but not by AAPH radical. Therefore, despite they expected scavenger action over free radicals an oxidants, these compounds could be very lesive to living organisms by acting over erythrocytes and maybe other cellular types.

Perfil de cortisol, glicemia e de parâmetros sanguineos de girinos de rã-touro, Rana catesbeiana, em diferentes densidades e após exposição aérea

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Estresse oxidativo em clones de seringueira sob ataque de oídio

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise das tensões em próteses unitárias implantossuportadas com diferentes tipos de conexões e qualidade óssea: estudo pelo método dos elementos finitos tridimensionais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Sociodrama e prevenção do câncer de mama em mulheres com conflitos conjugais e familiares

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Efeito de um programa de ginástica laboral na saúde, estados de ânimo e estresse diário do trabalhador

The practice of regular physical activity has been widely recommended in the literature, indicating an improvement of the physical and psychological activities promoted through the routine of workers. In this sense, physical activity has become of great importance in the workplace, for the prevention of injuries caused by normalizing bodily functions and staff providing relaxation and socialization, basic elements of daily life a worker. This study aimed to analyze the effects of a active break program in the routine of workers in their mood and stress, even checking the influence of physical activity on quality of life of participants. We selected 15 individuals of both genders, the restaurant staff University, UNESP - Rio Claro-SP. The activities lasted four months, two times a week, at the beginning of the workday, for 15 minutes, followed by stretching and playful activity. The evaluations were answered a week before the execution of the program and lists of mood states have been answered before and after the activity, and the end of working hours and also at the beginning and end of the days when there were no interventions. After analyzing the results, we concluded that the participants have a good index of perception of quality of life with total score of 76.6 for mental and physical health and that all assets are considered in accordance with the recommendations of 150 minutes of physical activity per week. More than 50% of them have symptoms of stress found mostly in the resistance stage, and no changes were found in the mood states when practicing active break or not. We conclude that the changing of moods can be associated with the fact that workers are already active, another reason may be due to low number of participants in the study, given other studies show that there is a change and that active break interferes positively in mood states of individuals

Protease-inhibiting, molecular modeling and antimicrobial activities of extracts and constituents from Helichrysum foetidum and Helichrysum mechowianum (compositae)

Background Helichrysum species are used extensively for stress-related ailments and as dressings for wounds normally encountered in circumcision rites, bruises, cuts and sores. It has been reported that Helichysum species are used to relief abdominal pain, heart burn, cough, cold, wounds, female sterility, menstrual pain. Results From the extracts of Helichrysum foetidum (L.) Moench, six known compounds were isolated and identified. They were 7, 4′-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-flavanone (1), 6′-methoxy-2′,4, 4′-trihydroxychalcone (2), 6′-methoxy-2′,4-dihydroxychalcone -4′-O-β-D-glucoside (3), apigenin (4), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucoside (5), kaur-16-en-18-oic acid (6) while two known compounds 3,5,7-trihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (12), 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (13) together with a mixture of phytosterol were isolated from the methanol extract of Helichrysum mechowianum Klatt. All the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic and mass spectrometric methods, and by comparison with literature data. Both extracts and all the isolates were screened for the protease inhibition, antibacterial and antifungal activities. In addition, the phytochemical profiles of both species were investigated by ESI-MS experiments. Conclusions These results showed that the protease inhibition assay of H. foetidum could be mainly attributed to the constituents of flavonoids glycosides (3, 5) while the compound (13) from H. mechowianum contributes to the stomach protecting effects. In addition, among the antibacterial and antifungal activities of all the isolates, compound (6) was found to possess a potent inhibitor effect against the tested microorganisms. The heterogeneity of the genus is also reflected in its phytochemical diversity. The differential bioactivities and determined constituents support the traditional use of the species. Molecular modelling was carried out by computing selected descriptors related to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET).

Nasal, oral and rectal microbiota of Black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aging of intrauterine tissues in spontaneous preterm birth and preterm premature rupture of the membranes: a systematic review of the literature

Many adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including spontaneous preterm birth (PTB), are associated with placental dysfunction. Recent clinical and experimental evidences suggest that premature aging of the placenta may be involved in these events. Although placental aging is a well-known concept, the mechanisms of aging during normal pregnancy and premature aging in APOs are still unclear. This review was conducted to assess the knowledge on placental aging related biochemical changes leading to placental dysfunction in PTB and/or preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM). We performed a systematic review of studies published over the last 50 years in two electronic databases (Pubmed and Embase) on placental aging and PTB or pPROM. The search yielded 554 citations, 30 relevant studies were selected for full-text review and three were included in the review. Only one study reported oxidative stress-related aging and degenerative changes in human placental membranes and telomere length reduction in fetal cells as part of PTB and/or pPROM mechanisms. Similarly, two animal studies reported findings of decidual senescence and referred to PTB mechanisms. Placental and fetal membrane oxidative damage and telomere reduction are linked to premature aging in PTB and pPROM but the risk factors and biomolecular pathways causing this phenomenon are not established in the literature. However, no biomarkers or clinical indicators of premature aging as a pathology of PTB and pPROM have been reported. We document major knowledge gaps and propose several areas for future research to improve our understanding of premature aging linked to placental dysfunction.

Sex differences in the excretion of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in the Syrian hamster

We verified the relevance of measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) to assess the stress response of the Syrian hamster. Male and female hamsters (n = 10 each) were submitted to an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge test, whereas animals in the control group received 0.5 mL of sterile isotonic saline solution. All feces voided by each animal were collected at 4 h intervals from 24 h before (baseline) until 48 h after injections. FGM were quantified using an 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Basal concentrations of FGM were almost four times higher in males than in females. Following ACTH administration, FGM levels started rising from 8 h onwards, reaching peak concentrations 20 or 28 h post injection in males and females, respectively. Despite the much higher absolute concentrations present in males, the relative increase (500%) in response to the ACTH stimulation was similar in both sexes. Sex differences in FGM levels are in accordance with results reported by others regarding the hamster adrenal physiology. The comparison of the adrenocortical response of males and females to an ACTH challenge provided new information about the amplitude and the timing of such a response and the excretion of glucocorticoids in both sexes. We demonstrated for the first time in the Syrian hamster that adrenocortical activity can be monitored in fecal samples in a noninvasive way. Our study provides a humane, practical, and noninvasive alternative to blood removal and therefore a powerful tool for stress-related studies in a species frequently used as an animal model in medical research.